Metatarsals?!

What is it with England players and metatarsals in the run up to major tournaments?!

4 years ago the squads biggest name was Beckham - and his foot was bust just before the WC.

Now we have a stronger squad - and a real major talent in Rooney and what happens? He busts his foot!?....

The annoying thing is that he broke it playing a really unimportant match! Chelsea had realistically already won the league and neither team had anything to play for.. What a senseless waste!!!

...Of course with good medical help we (*we* being the England supporters) can all hope that Rooney will be fit and ready to play in 8 wks time and that the rest of the team can do enough against Paraguay, T&T and Sweden to get through to the fun stages.....

I think it is my fault - I jinxed him last week when I wrote in another thread:

In the last few competitions England have picked up a couple of injuries - what's the bet that Rooney and Gerard both break their legs a week before it starts? The problem is that while England have a fantastic first-11, there's not many world class players waiting to step up to the first team in the event of injuries.

Just when I was beginning to get a bit hopeful about it, this injury has put me back into familiar pessimistic territory. I had wondered if it would be a miracle football year - Reading getting promotion to the Premiership was pretty incredible , so I figured that England winning the world cup can't be less likely then that.

Its a bit like a form of mental torture. England do it every time - put their fans through a mentally unstable cycle of excitement and pessimism, building up until the inevitable defeat. Why on earth do I watch the games? I rarely enjoy them, but instead spend the entire time hopping up and down and making strange girly noises. Stupidly I'm still looking forwards to it.

There will be glitches in my transition from being a saloon bar sage to a world statesman. - Tony Banks

- no chance, I've believe that he is worst than was first believed (just heard this on TalkSport ).

As for the reason for so many injuries, take your pick:

a) Football boots are too soft, do not give enough protection. b) Pitches are much harder than before. c) Kids feet are too soft, as they grew up wearing trainer shoes (sneakers). d) The game is played at a faster pace.

[IMHO] England still have a good chance, its being held in Europe (where South American teams don�t do as well) and we have a wealth of good players.